Socio-economic implications of poor environmental management: a framework on the Niger Delta questions

The pollution of air and water, contamination of arable land, ecological damage and the impoverishment of the space of living of the oil producing communities have grave socioeconomic consequences. Changes in socio-economic activities of the people coupled with the level of economic marginalisation, deprivation, unemployment, poverty and inequality are the root cause of violent conflicts, grievances, rebelliousness and anti-government movements. More fundamentally, the dispossession of the local people of their means of livelihood due to oil and gas production activities has profound consequences on socio-economic activities and makes the clamour for sustainable development absolutely irrelevant. Thus, this paper is anchored around the Niger Delta question, primarily within the framework of socio-economic reality and welfare degradation implications. The findings of this study reinforces key arguments which draw linkages on the pervasive socioeconomic challenges of declining agricultural productivity, poor health, unemployment, poverty, conflicts, migration/population displacement and insecurity directly associated with environmental degradation in the Niger Delta region.